NCO Meeting - 13DEC09

[Dascede]

~ORDO IMPERIALIS~

OFFICIAL DOCUMENT

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**********Meeting Report**********

NAME/RANK/DIVISION: Dascede Aluveaux | W-1; Triplicarius

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DATE: 13 December 2009

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SUBJECT: Non-commissioned officer responsibilities.

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SUMMARY: Some of the NCO body gathered to listen to Aryte.

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CHAT LOG:

[17:05] Aryte Vesperia: Thank you for coming. It was a relatively short notice. But I wanted to really kind of affirm and touch base on the NCO status here in the group.

[17:06] Aryte Vesperia: NCOs are a fairly misunderstood group of people. For many reasons. Foremost, it is usually examined as a very linear role-- when in reality it is extremely malleable. NCOs are, in every sense of the word, the material and fabric that makes up the collective support for the group.

[17:07] Aryte Vesperia: NCOs are the largest body, with probably the highest number of active participants. Socialization, determining the groups future, and our identity is really embraced and embodied by NCOs.

[17:07] MikeMurdock McMillan raises a hand

[17:07] Aryte Vesperia: Officers create policy, presumably, out of the influence of the most active and present members--NCOs.

[17:09] Aryte Vesperia: In combat, NCO are among the most vetted and skillfull. They comprise the majority of our elite units.

[17:10] Aryte Vesperia: But outside of all that, policy, combat related ramble, the NCOs have a power that many really do not realize: the quality of the NCO pool dictates the quality of the Ordo's future. One, because NCOs are the future officers, and two, because NCOs most dramatically effect the development of Numerii/new additions to the group.

[17:11] Aryte Vesperia: Mike?

[17:13] MikeMurdock McMillan: Well in my opinion A NOC's job to to assist the grunts . If they have questions and yourself or a officer is not around it is the NCO's job to assist with these questions as long as the question is not harming Ordo in any way and if they question the group it's the NCO's job to help them get back on track. I myself make sure to meet the new blood and let them know if they have any questions to contact me if a officer or yourself sir is not around to answer them

[17:13] MikeMurdock McMillan: *NCO's

[17:14] Aryte Vesperia: Without a doubt. Many would confuse an NCOs authority as being "null" without the ability of an officer to punish, etc. That's hardly so. NCO have immense levels of authority, even inherently, as guides and as the building blocks for the group.

[17:14] Aryte Vesperia: We have seen an ever increasing reliance on NCO staff lately--and that's how it should be. NCOs are our trainers, our elite fighters, our line unit commanders, our Lictors.

[17:16] Aryte Vesperia: There is not a lot of clarity, I would say, in the field of "what" an NCO can do.

[17:17] Aryte Vesperia: But that's a pretty simple answer: what can't they do?

[17:18] Aryte Vesperia: As an NCO, you really have two major avenues: one, involvement into administration, or two, reliance and sticking to the basics of combat.

[17:18] Aryte Vesperia: The first choice will bring increasing levels of authority and, eventually, officer status. Genesis Ronmark is a really good example of this.

[17:19] Aryte Vesperia: He used his NCO position to teach, enter Curia, pick up command slots.

[17:19] Aryte Vesperia: The second avenue is really, well . . think of Cheeso, or actually, many of our elite squadders.

[17:21] Aryte Vesperia: Cheeso is a horrible example of someone contributing to the atmosphere's good behavior. But he's Cheeso.

[17:21] Aryte Vesperia: Folks who are here, not explicitly to reach officer, but to simply be part of the backbone of our operation combatively, and in atmosphere.

[17:22] Aryte Vesperia: Questions?

[17:22] Jayce Iredell raises hand.

[17:22] MikeMurdock McMillan raises a hand

[17:22] Aryte Vesperia: Jayce?

[17:23] Jayce Iredell: aHow does one, contribute to atmosphere and reliability? It may be confusing to alot of us, I know alot of people feel like they just don't matter, I think it needs clarification.

[17:25] Aryte Vesperia: Participation and interaction is a major contribution. Consider this. Individuals entering this group are doing what? Observing conservatively, trying to determine who to emulate and how they'll become "one of those guys." NCOs, being the single most largest group, have the largest influence on that development through interaction and exposure.

[17:25] Aryte Vesperia: Make sense?

[17:25] Jayce Iredell: Yes.

[17:26] Aryte Vesperia: Mike?

[17:26] Jason Backer: Ah crap

[17:26] Jason Backer: Habit.

[17:27] MikeMurdock McMillan: As a NCO adding to the contibution not only of interacting with your fellow men ,but also to recommend which ones are doing well, which ones that need talking to, plus if a office needs assistance to help him or her?

[17:28] Aryte Vesperia: Correct. Very correct.

[17:28] Aryte Vesperia: Jason?

[17:31] Jason Backer: Well I have been thinking of the structure as a whole, and as it stands I believe and perhaps others do (Let me know) that NCOs currently in the group don't feel like NCOs, it's just a continuation of the enlisted time, the only major leapfrog comes from E-7 to officer, I think there would be a great benefit if it could be the same for NCO, not length wise, but forthere to be a distinction between Enlisted and NCO, people joining the Ordo have the handbook text andsadly unless they do some deep rooting in the forums thats about it. What would you say for a greater distinction between NCO and the Jnr Enlisted levels?

[17:31] Jason Backer: A guiding hand to direct the NCOs into their duties

[17:32] Jason Backer: Because not all of us pick it up or feel any different.

[17:32] Aryte Vesperia: We have been working to make that seperation. IT's an ongoing project-- an NCO academy has been "in process" for eons, but hasn't seen much light.

[17:32] Jayce Iredell: Gunau is supposed to be running the NCO-A, infact he keeps saying he will hold classes. But yeah....

[17:33] Aryte Vesperia: On more subtle levels, uniform changes and position availability has become dominantly tailored to NCOs.

[17:33] Aryte Vesperia: It is probably safe to bank Gunau will never have the opportunity to carry through.

[17:34] Tyler Yaseotoko: i wouldnt count him out, he was saying something about after finals are over.

[17:34] Jason Backer: I am willing to take a step up here and do my best in that area if that would be acceptable, I believe NCOs are the most underutilized tools of any SL military.

[17:34] Aryte Vesperia: But the opportunity to approach an NCO academy, at least on my side, is pretty far off. So it's more than available for anyone interested in helping Gunau get over the hurdle.

[17:34] Jason Backer: I would like to see someone do something about it

[17:34] Jason Backer: Pardon my bluntness

[17:34] Jayce Iredell: His finals are over if I remember correctly.

[17:35] Aryte Vesperia: I am more tham supportive of that, Jason. If you can get in touch with him to figure it out, by all means. If it comes to the point where he's unavailable, we can work around it.

[17:35] Tyler Yaseotoko: I'll see if i can hit him up about it.

[17:35] Jason Backer: It's not just an academy, it's something as simple as when you make E-4 there is someone there to have a chat with you and explain things over, like a squad leader does when a new member joins the squad.

[17:35] Jason Backer: Just have someone there to give you a guiding hand.

[17:36] Aryte Vesperia: I agree entirely.

[17:36] Anlysia Gregoire raises a hand.

[17:36] Aryte Vesperia: Anly?

[17:37] Anlysia Gregoire: This all kind of goes along with the new promotion requirement that are being worked-on. The concept of there not really being any "duties"/"responsibilities" until someone goes over that "hump" from E to W. With the new requirements you can more visibly see where effort is displayed, and rewarded.

[17:37] Aryte Vesperia: It does. That's very true.

[17:38] Jason Backer: As it stands I believe the current promotion line is thus

[17:38] Jason Backer: Numerii: Shoot things

[17:38] Jason Backer: NCO: ???

[17:38] Jason Backer: WO: Profit

[17:38] Jason Backer: I think theres a big void in the middle.

[17:38] Jason Backer: Needs to be plugged :>

[17:38] Tyler Yaseotoko raises his hand

[17:39] Aryte Vesperia: I completely agree.

[17:39] Aryte Vesperia: Tyler?

[17:39] Tyler Yaseotoko: The thing with becoming an NCO is in most cases you are givin more responsibilities, additional billets and such. Which is why there are usually more "NCO" than regular enlisted in most command stuctures. If you dilute the NCO pool by having to many people in it in comparison to the lower ranks you lose the whole use of being an nco.

[17:39] Tyler Yaseotoko: less NCOs bah typo

[17:39] Aryte Vesperia: Correct. That is one of the major reasons the promotion requirement system is being added.

[17:40] Jayce Iredell: Our current ratio is almost 1:1 for that.

[17:40] Tyler Yaseotoko: i would say even higher possibly

[17:40] Tyler Yaseotoko: i would venture a guess of almost 2 e-4s and up in compared to e-3 and below

[17:41] Aryte Vesperia: Jayce is right, atm.

[17:41] Aryte Vesperia: It is 1-1 at the moment.

[17:41] Aryte Vesperia: About.

[17:41] Jayce Iredell: 107 Numerii/ 1104 Principales

[17:41] Williamca Zenovka raises his hand to this...

[17:41] Jayce Iredell: *104

[17:41] Aryte Vesperia: Williamca?

[17:41] Tyler Yaseotoko: hopefully it can get around to 2-1 in favor of numerri

[17:42] Aryte Vesperia: That would be preferable.

[17:42] Williamca Zenovka: The thing is most NCO's are...well more active than the Numerii. Thus it seems there is more NCOs then Enlisted.

[17:42] Aryte Vesperia: Correct.

[17:42] Tyler Yaseotoko: that is true

[17:42] Aryte Vesperia: NCOs are less confused. And active people get rewarded.

[17:42] Aryte Vesperia: Lol.

[17:43] Tyler Yaseotoko: I would just like to bring up a side note.

[17:43] Aryte Vesperia: Yes?

[17:43] Tyler Yaseotoko: If you see someone doing something wrong correct them.

[17:44] Aryte Vesperia: That goes hand in hand with our discussion yesterday during the main meeting. The keeping of generation quality, etc.

[17:44] Aryte Vesperia: NCOs play very heavily in that.

[17:44] Anlysia Gregoire: Once there's requirements attached to NCO beyond "time"...the numbers will swing a bit. When I first joined, "NCO" meant "I've been around two months and not shot Aryte yet".

[17:45] Aryte Vesperia: \

[17:45] Aryte Vesperia: That . . yeah, Anly.

[17:45] Jayce Iredell: LAWL Anly I have been around three years and I don't think I have shot aryte yet.... does that make me a legates? XD

[17:45] Aryte Vesperia: We're in better shape than others who will remain nameless, but our emphasis has really been on NCO development. So time to take it to the next step.

[17:45] Redemption Islander: I wonder how many times ive shot Aryte..

[17:46] Imperial Admiral: Not as many as me >:|

[17:46] WolfShaman Warrior has shot Aryte. Not just in SL either.

[17:46] Aryte Vesperia: Haha

[17:46] Aryte Vesperia: Well.

[17:46] Aryte Vesperia: Anything else to discuss, gentlemen?

[17:46] Aryte Vesperia: And ladies.

[17:46] WolfShaman Warrior: I got a link

[17:46] Tyler Yaseotoko: Remember as an NCO you are a leader, both lower enlisted and even officers look to you as examples.

[17:46] Gulliver Carpool raises his hand.

[17:46] Aryte Vesperia: Gulliver?

[17:46] Gulliver Carpool: I had intended to say this earlier, but I got talking on Vent.

[17:47] Gulliver Carpool: The Ordo is what you make it. As an officer I look at my job not so much as keeping people in line or whatever, but as a facilitator to help those under me turn their ideas into reality.

[17:49] Aryte Vesperia: That's a very appropriate way to look at it, Gulliver. I agree.

[17:49] Gulliver Carpool: The NCO class is where the work and direction takes those ideas to their end result..

[17:49] Gulliver Carpool: I'm having a hard time expressing the idea, but you should get the picture.

[17:49] Gulliver Carpool: Basically, as an NCO, you are driving the bus.

[17:50] Aryte Vesperia: I am intimidated by the thought of Dempster driving.

[17:50] Aryte Vesperia: But that's correct.

[17:49] Gulliver Carpool: I'm having a hard time expressing the idea, but you should get the picture.

[17:49] Gulliver Carpool: Basically, as an NCO, you are driving the bus.

[17:50] Aryte Vesperia: I am intimidated by the thought of Dempster driving.

[17:50] Aryte Vesperia: But that's correct.

[17:51] WolfShaman Warrior: Got a meeting log reguarding the promotion requirements and such that was touched on: http://forums.ordoimperialis.com/index.php?/topic/3966-ordo-meeting-71809 --- Time Mark 18:56

[17:52] WolfShaman Warrior: as well as the formal forum post: http://forums.ordoimperialis.com/index.php?/topic/5313-upcoming-promotion-requirements-12oct09

[17:52] Aryte Vesperia: Don't remind me how far I am behind on that. LOL.

[17:52] Aryte Vesperia: But thank you.

[17:53] Redemption Islander: Man. I really need a profile pic and sig for the forums.

[17:54] Aryte Vesperia: Phew. Anything else we need to cover this evening?

[17:54] WolfShaman Warrior: Cant say I have too much to contribute for this meeting. I typically save my wordy soap box speaches for the forums.

[17:54] Redemption Islander: I actually need to go. So I wont be adding anything sadly

[17:54] Aryte Vesperia: All right then.

[17:54] Aryte Vesperia: Thank you all. Good discussion. :)

[17:54] Aryte Vesperia: And as always. Noble Scribe Dascede, thank you.

[17:54] Aryte Vesperia: Dismissed.

[17:54] Aryte Vesperia clasps his fist to his chest, presenting a salute.